Outcomes of the workshop

The workshop brought together about 80 professionals, both researchers and practitioners, from a wide range of institutions in Ethiopia, in addition to the international participants. About 25 papers were presented and discussed on land and water management research. Participants worked in five small discussion groups to prepare the workshop outputs.

Well-targeted and good quality research is essential to develop Ethiopia’s natural resources and to reduce poverty and promote development. A range of important research issues were identified, which will be useful for guiding future research projects in Ethiopia. These research issues need further prioritising. Carrying out this research will require co-operation among Ethiopian research institutions as well as partnerships with federal ministries and regional governments; and can be strengthened through partnerships with international institutions. It should be noted that the international institutions can facilitate collaborative research among the countries sharing the Nile and other river basins, and exchange of experiences with other regions and basins.

The workshop made clear that there is considerable research and development capacity in Ethiopia. However this capacity is fragmented among diverse institutions. Integrated water and land management research must be interdisciplinary, including the social, physical and biological sciences. The human, institutional and financial resources for carrying out research are well short of the level required to meet the needs of the country.

Substantial financial resources over a period of time will be required to build the necessary capacity for land and water management research. Such resources can be raised from many sources, including government, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), bilateral and multilateral partners, and regional sources such as the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). A joint effort by Ethiopia and international partners to raise the necessary funds is needed.

The workshop recommended implementation of the Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission (ESTC) proposal to establish an institutional framework for supporting and strengthening water research and development. It also recommended establishing strong linkages with appropriate international networks and institutions. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) could play a role in developing this institutional framework.

An Ethiopian Consultative Committee for Water and Land Management Research should be established and serve as an interim mechanism to support water research in collaboration with the planned research department in the Ministry of Water Resources. This Committee will help prioritise research issues and facilitate co-operation among Ethiopian institutions and with international institutions such as IWMI and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Ethiopia and IWMI should be prepared and adopted as soon as possible to facilitate co-operation. Several projects are already in the pipeline and an MoU would facilitate their implementation and development of a strong collaborative programme. Posting of IWMI staff in Ethiopia, if desired, will be under ILRI’s agreement with the Government of Ethiopia.

Finally, the Organising Committee wishes to thank the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the Global Mechanism for Combating Desertification for their support, which made the workshop possible.

D. Merrey, Gulilat Berhane, Paulos Dubale and D. Peden